DBS&A Soil Testing and Research Laboratory

For 30 years, the DBS&A Soil Testing & Research Laboratory has been the premier provider of consistent and reliable soil properties testing results following standardized methods. It is also the go-to facility for research, development, and implementation of novel technologies and instruments to aid in environmental resource protection and management.

Research and Development – One of the results of our independent research efforts is the development of a simple, cost-saving, and regulatory-approved alternative to standard landfill and hazardous waste covers. DBS&A continues to develop and implement new techniques for soils testing, artificial recharge, and passive hydraulic control of contaminants in the subsurface.

Joleen Hines

DBS&A Soil Testing and Research Laboratory Manager

Instrumentation and Automation

Success of your environmental or natural resources project is often dependent upon the accuracy and efficiency of the data-collection process.

DBS&A regularly designs, installs, and operates a wide range of automated data collection and monitoring equipment. The choice of equipment must take into consideration site-specific conditions, and our clients frequently call upon us to design and develop specialized monitoring equipment and programs for unique circumstances. DBS&A has collected data at sites ranging from remote areas where extreme weather and site access can be challenging to urban environments that require working around existing facility operations, infrastructure, or traffic. This wide range of experience enables us to anticipate site conditions that can affect equipment performance, such as temperature extremes, humidity, or caustic environments. Specifying and installing the right equipment and providing the proper maintenance ensures that equipment remains functional and data collection is consistent and reliable. DBS&A’s in-house expertise also makes us an excellent choice for development and hosting of customized data management systems, including user-friendly, web-based platforms.

DBS&A uses automated state-of-the-art instrumentation for:

Aquifer/pumping tests

Recharge/infiltration studies

Contaminant migration studies

Water quality studies

Streamflow/surface water flow

Ecological health assessments

Water balance/watershed studies

Landfill gas migration analyses

Meteorological studies

Fire hazard studies

Air quality assessments

Waste rock draindown analyses

Research and Development

DBS&A has been dedicated to finding better, faster, more cost-effective solutions for our clients’ environmental challenges since the firm’s inception in 1984. DBS&A’s research and development (R&D) concentration began with the efforts of creative staff members who engineered, designed, and constructed equipment not available commercially to meet the need for specialized analyses tailored to project-specific circumstances. As DBS&A has grown, these engineering, design, and construction skills have evolved into a significant internal R&D program, which has led to five Small Business Innovation Research grants (both Phase I and II), as well as several patents.

DBS&A’s research capabilities have been recognized by national laboratories, government agencies, universities, and private institutions that have relied upon the expertise of DBS&A’s employee-owners in pursuing innovative solutions to environmental problems. These organizations and other clients with difficult or unique problems have benefited from our R&D emphasis. These R&D efforts have contributed to the success of many of our projects.

Contact us: (505) 889-7752 | jhines@dbstephens.com. We are eager to create a solution for your project.

Sensor Calibration

The DBS&A Soils Testing and Research Laboratory was certified by an independent inspection and assessment agency on behalf of a U.S. Department of Energy contractor to calibrate a variety of sensors and instruments used to collect soils data. Instruments that we calibrate include:

A detailed listing of tests provided is available here. Tests and methods are updated regularly. If you do not see the testing you need, please call us at (505) 889-7752.

DBS&A also calibrates a variety of sensors and instruments. More information about our calibration services.

The laboratory adheres to standardized testing methods and industry-accepted procedures established by the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM), American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), Methods of Soil Analysis (MOSA), American Petroleum Institute (API), American Society of Agronomy (ASA), and procedures developed and patented by DBS&A personnel.